1. Field of Invention
This invention generally relates to personal air filters, and specifically, to a personal air filter with amplifier and vibrator.
2. Prior Art
Air, and thereby breathing, is fundamental to life. Air purification has long been a concern for industrial situations, and is now increasingly becoming a concern for personal situations. Due to industrial biohazard and viral contamination problems, respiratory protective devices such as respiratory gas masks and surgical masks have long been used in workplace and emergency biohazard settings. While these devices are very effective for those professionals that wear them, their bulk and conspicuousness can be a deterrent to the private individual. Due to personal health concerns, individuals in today's health-conscious and active society are increasingly seeking to breathe purer air in personal settings, such as to reduce exposure to pollen or other airborne particulates or microorganisms. This is usually achieved outdoors by wearing surgical masks or indoors by electronic devices such as air purifiers. However such use is not widespread due to conspicuousness of wearing the masks or impracticality of transporting electronic air purifiers and ineffectiveness of using them in large unconfined spaces.
Existing protective inhalation masks currently available have a number of drawbacks, including that they are cumbersome and unattractive, they make communication more difficult because they cover the mouth, partially obstruct the view of the wearer, and can be uncomfortable to wear due to their method of attachment to the head, mouth, nose, or ears. Further, they are inconvenient because they do not lend themselves to instant usage by being readily put on and taken off, are unattractive and make users conspicuous, and are better suited for use in an industrial setting, rather than during, day-to-day and leisure activities.
Furthermore, the relation between physiological conditions with physical, mental and emotional health has, also become increasingly important given the growing complexity of life and preoccupation with wellness. Ancient civilizations and modern studies have shown that stress and other emotional factors increase the risk of disease, reduce performance and severely restrict quality of life. This has led to increasing awareness and interest in practices such as yoga and tai chi to optimize respiration and circulation for promoting health and fitness. According to the traditions of such practices, a person can achieve good health and longevity through controlled breathing, otherwise described as “abdominal breathing”, which is a system of exercise involving extensive training and discipline. The most common but less effective respiration process is “thoracic breathing” whereby air is inhaled and exhaled at the thoracic level. A less common yet more effective respiration process is “abdominal breathing” whereby air is inhaled and exhaled at the abdominal level, which has been practiced by yoga adherents for millennia enjoying the benefits of better quality of life and longevity of life.
Yoga, tai chi and the like, utilize certain body postures to stimulate and internally massage the body. Such physical exercise is designed to remove blockages and constraints from body organs and interconnections in order to optimize circulation. In particular, yoga physical exercise intimately combines body postures with abdominal breathing. However, unlike body posture exercises, where the mind readily concentrates on the physical pose due to its tangibility, for the breathing process, the mind does not readily concentrate on respiration due to its subtleness and intangibility. Yoga masters teach that controlled breathing requires the ears for mastery. This is because the mind must concentrate on the sound of breathing, with the ears providing undistracted focus, attentively listening to the rhythm, to achieve slow and regular respiration. Controlled breathing requires concentrated attention on the airflow to the abdomen, chest and thoracic area, as well as consistent duration of airflow for inhalation, retention and exhalation. Compounding the difficulty of maintaining attention on the breathing process is losing mental focus due to distraction by visual or aural stimuli. Meditation is used in Yoga exercise to aid focusing the mind for concentration. Meditation involves concentration practices, such as chanting the word ‘Aum’, in order to clear the mind of distractions and maintain concentration.
However, breathing is naturally quiet which makes it difficult to concentrate on the timing of airflow to the abdomen, chest and thoracic areas. Mastery of slow, deep and rhythmic inhalation and exhalation requires long periods of concerted practice and undivided attention. The duration of air flow cannot be suitably preset or programmed since it varies according to each person's lung capacity. Unless there is a completely silent and darkened environment, the mind's attention easily wanders after visual and aural distractions. Hence traditional forms of controlled breathing exercise, such as Yoga and Tai Chi are difficult to learn properly and require a level of discipline that few people can afford, unless they pay for the financial and time expense of attending regular classes instructed by a professional at a dedicated venue. There is a need for a device, and method to compliment these traditional forms of exercise. A device which amplifies respiration sensory feedback audibly and tactilely in a way that can guide and support a similar controlled breathing discipline for an average fitness enthusiast without distraction or requiring use of chanting for concentration, in order to control breathing by tracking and maintaining proper breathing duration, rate and rhythm. Prior art devices utilize bells, chimes or other audible means to signal the user to ‘return’ to concentration as well as an appropriate moment to change breathing stage between inhalation, retention and exhalation. However, these devices have a number of disadvantages. There is a need for a device which can facilitate the meditative state without requiring the significant amount of time and money to be spent on learning yoga theory and principles, arcane philosophies or understanding meditation practices and procedures in order to facilitate concentrated mindful controlled breathing. There is a need for a device which does not require the user to be in a silent environment lacking visual and aural distractions that may prevent the user from hearing the user's respiration Further, a device which provides user feedback without requiring cumbersome electronic devices or wires attached to the body to monitor abdominal or other respiration activity, or processing and transmitting response or predetermining and presetting timing intervals for each breathing cycle stage. Further, a device which does not require external audio or visual stimulus signal feedback, to advise a user to change breathing cycle stage. Further, a device which is naturally aspirated and does not require an external power source.
‘Aum’ chanting is also used to facilitate synchronizing a person's internal body vibrations with external universe vibrations. According to yoga theory, harmony in such vibrations produces optimal circulation and results in physical, mental and emotional relaxation, invigoration and wellbeing. However ‘Aum’ chanting requires training and supervision to ensure the proper breathing technique combined with proper vocalization. Alternative artificial means of producing the soothing effects of meditation vibration is via electro-mechanical means of oscillating parts in a device, commonly comprising a vibrator or massager, relying on electrical means to produce vibration, and requiring an electrical power source.
However, in yoga, tai chi and the like, internal massage and vibration stimulation is achieved after prolonged practice requiring close supervision of a teacher in order to guide the pupil with the correct body postures, breathing methods and “mantra” chanting. ‘Aum’ mantra chanting is not widely accepted due to conspicuousness, arcane philosophy as well as complexity which make it impractical in modern society due to time and financial constraints, as well as limited numbers of qualified instructors. Without advanced practice with extended know how, only electronic massagers are capable of providing vibration stimulation to the body approximating the effect produced by yoga. However, massagers have a number of disadvantages, including that they require a power source, are noisy, cumbersome, conspicuous, or external to the body causing friction and irritation to skin, disregard relevant controlled breathing, and may require external transmission media such as creams, oils or gels. There is a need for a naturally aspirated vibration device which does not rely on external electric power source, does not require transmission devices such as creams, oils or gels, and need not cause friction to the skin. Further, there is a need for a device which can transmit and communicate one person's vibrations to another facilitating educational, training, therapeutic or leisure and pleasure use.
Despite the amount of prior art, there remains a need for an easily portable pocket-sized and inexpensive simple to use personal breathing filter that optimizes breathing making it simple, easy, convenient, and inexpensive. A device that can effectively remove organic and inorganic particles from inhaled air, while not requiring increased effort by the user to maintain normal breathing. Further, that can be inconspicuously and conveniently handheld and used by individuals while going about daily activities in any indoor or outdoor environment, and will provide air filtration purification and freshening of ambient air immediately prior to inhalation. A device resonating for audibly amplifying respiration thereby facilitating concentration on proper controlled breathing inhalation, retention and exhalation process. Further, a naturally aspirated oscillating vibration massaging device stimulating blood circulation and transmission of a user's vibrations facilitating education and training, leisure and pleasure, beauty health and fitness.